Dunwoody treats a water heater replacement as a single-trade component permit, and work may not begin until it is issued. About 28% of homes were built in the 1970s, so gas pipe and venting often need updating for a tankless unit. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Dunwoody.
A quick look at Dunwoody
Dunwoody's neighborhoods around Dunwoody Village and along Chamblee-Dunwoody Road are full of 1970s split-levels and two-story colonials, and about 44% of homes predate 1980. Water comes from DeKalb County Watershed Management, which maintains the line through the meter; the line from the meter to the house is the owner's. Atlanta Gas Light is the city's listed gas utility. Homes from the 1970s often keep the water heater in a basement mechanical room beside the furnace, which is a reasonable spot for a wall-hung tankless unit as long as the vent can reach an outside wall and the gas pipe can carry the load. Newer townhomes near Perimeter Center tend to have tighter closets, where venting is the main puzzle.
What to do now
- If there is a gas odor, leave. Call 911 from a safe place, then Atlanta Gas Light at 877.427.4321.
- Check the display. On an existing tankless unit, write down any error code before resetting it.
- Find the heater's age. The serial number on the label usually encodes the manufacture date.
- Look at the vent. Note whether the current heater vents up through the roof; a tankless unit will likely need a new sidewall or roof vent.
- Do not start work early. Dunwoody does not allow work to begin until the permit is issued.
Symptom guide
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Lukewarm water when two showers run | Unit too small or gas line too small |
| Unit cycles on and off at low flow | Flow below minimum activation rate |
| Hot water flow slowly declining | Scale in the heat exchanger |
| Error code after a storm | Power interruption or blocked vent termination |
| Rumbling, leaking tank | Sediment and a corroded tank near end of life |
Cost factors
- Upsizing the gas line in 1970s homes where pipe was sized for a tank and furnace
- New venting, especially when the heater sits in an interior closet
- Condensate drain for condensing units
- Unit size for houses with three or more baths
- Recirculation for far bathrooms in two-story plans
- The single-trade permit, which first-time contractors register for with license, business license and photo ID; it can be issued over the counter, online or by mail
Tankless Water Heaters questions in Dunwoody
Do I need a permit to switch to a tankless water heater?
Is my current gas pipe big enough for a tankless unit?
Will the local water scale up a tankless heater?
Can a tankless setup get hot water to a far bathroom faster?
More plumbing services in Dunwoody
Tankless Water Heaters nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: